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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – EKU, FGCU and North Florida were all tied atop the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Softball Preseason Coaches Poll, announced by the league office Thursday.
The Eagles posted 38-21 overall record in 2024 and defeated UNF in the eighth inning to capture the program's second ASUN Softball Tournament Championship. FGCU was 16-8 in conference play and recorded 20 victories inside the FGCU Softball Complex. The Ospreys notched a 17-7 mark in ASUN play and entered the conference postseason as the tournament's second seed. During the 2024 season, UNF had an overall mark of 35-19. The Colonels posted a league-best 21-3 confernce record last season to secure the program's first ASUN Softball Regular Season Championship. EKU's record was 42-10 overall last season, which included a 19-1 mark in Richmond on Gertrude Hood Field.
UNF's Allison Benning was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year after being a First Team All-ASUN and D1 Softball All-America Second Team in 2024. The senior batted .347 (52-for-150) while starting all 53 games played with 52 hits, 46 RBIs, 27 runs scored and a program-record 16 home runs. The Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honor was claimed by Central Arkansas' Madi Young who was named the ASUN Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-ASUN in 2023. The Derby, Kan., native had 82 putouts and 115 assists, and had the fewest errors of anyone in the top-10 in the ASUN in assists that season. The Colonels' Maddi Rutan was selected as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year after being named the 2024 Freshman and Pitcher of the Year. Last season, she went 25-5 from the circle with 158 strikeouts and a 2.09 ERA while setting the single-season EKU win record.
2025 Preseason Coaches Poll
1. EKU (5), 129
1. FGCU (4), 129
1. North Florida (2), 129
4. Central Arkansas (1), 108
5. North Alabama, 97
6. Jacksonville, 74
7. Austin Peay, 71
8. Queens, 50
9. Lipscomb, 48
9. Stetson, 48
11. Bellarmine, 35
12. West Georgia, 17
2025 Preseason All-ASUN Team
P - Maddi Rutan, EKU
P - Allison Sparkman, FGCU
C - Averi Harcus, Jacksonville
C - Kirsten Caravaca, North Florida
IF - Kylie Griffin, Central Arkansas^
IF - Kylie Campbell, Austin Peay
IF - Briley Dover, North Alabama
IF - Hailey Jones, North Alabama
OF - Jaelin Haynes, EKU
OF - Avery Viancos, FGCU
OF - Madison Bratek, Jacksonville
UT/DP - Allison Benning, North Florida^
^ - denotes a unanimous selection
a tie in voting resulted in a 12-person preseason team